


Why Loki/Tony Can Work

by yourlibrarian



Series: Fanfic Genres [9]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fanfiction, M/M, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-05 08:21:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6697177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourlibrarian/pseuds/yourlibrarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I started reading Avengers fics based on recs I was picking up from my flist.  Although I was really interested in gen, especially fics featuring Natasha, most of the early ones recommended were Loki/Tony.  At first glance the FrostIron ship didn't seem very likely to me.  However, after trying out Bruce/Loki, Clint/Loki, Darcy/Loki, Thor/Loki, Jane/Loki, Steve/Loki, Sif/Loki and Natasha/Loki, I have to say it's the one that makes the most sense to me.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why Loki/Tony Can Work

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted July 14, 2015

I started reading Avengers fics based on recs I was picking up from my flist. Although I was really interested in gen, especially fics featuring Natasha, most of the early ones recommended were Loki/Tony. At first glance the FrostIron ship didn't seem very likely to me. However, after trying out Bruce/Loki, Clint/Loki, Darcy/Loki, Thor/Loki, Jane/Loki, Steve/Loki, Sif/Loki and Natasha/Loki, I have to say it's the one that makes the most sense to me, although I enjoyed some of the others to different degrees. To me the biggest suspension of disbelief to overcome is that two guys, with such massive egos that a single planet is hardly enough to contain them, can exist in the same room (much less same relationship). Realistically, I think that Stark and Loki are _too_ much alike to actually be attracted. However, the stories where their egos are less important than their achievements are the ones that can really click.

The stories where Loki's intellectual curiosity is his dominant characteristic seem to be the ones that work best. And here I have to point out that I am working only from the movie canon, because I was struck by how little this aspect emerges in those portrayals. In fact, in my first few FrostIron stories, I was puzzled that he was termed a genius. While he seemed clever and insightful (to a degree) in the films, given that he was generally being contrasted with Thor this didn't seem to be saying that much (especially in Thor 1). So I've always wondered if this was more fanon than from comics canon, particularly because I could see his pursuit of magic being completely divorced from any real intellectual curiosity.

While I've stumbled across OOC Tony stories, it's usually Loki's portrayal that seems to vary wildly, whereas Tony seems fairly consistent overall. He's more likely to be portrayed in a lazy cartoonish fashion than he is in a completely unrecognizable one. However, given that Tony has appeared in more Marvel films than any other character (and in ones that have also made a clear effort to explore his nature), it's also a lot easier to pin down what's consistent behavior. I always found it curious that Loki was the little black dress of the Avengers movie verse, in part because he was painted with strokes almost as broad as Thor. But I'm starting to think that it's exactly his nebulous nature that has been responsible for fandom writing what they want to see on his character.

Especially post-Ultron, it would be easier than ever to imagine a Tony Stark so reckless and uncontrollable that allying with a former enemy doesn't seem very improbable -- especially if he saw it as a useful means to an end. However, the question is what Loki has to gain, and what about him might appeal to Tony. And that seems to depend more upon interpretation than fact. 

For example, one thing that has become a trope of sorts is 'the history lesson'. Regardless of who Loki is paired with, at some point his origin story has to be relayed to someone, usually the character he is shipped with. If it isn't, it's more likely that it's because the story itself is an AU rewriting the events of Thor 1, rather than because it's been left out. The origin story, combined with the inference that Loki was not himself in Avengers 1, but controlled by The Other or Thanos himself, tends to explain away most of Loki's behavior as performed under duress of some kind -- either emotional trauma or outright manipulation. This seems like an obvious clearing of the decks so that he seems at least as much a victim of circumstance as someone who made a series of really horrifying decisions that would be hard to excuse. 

In these stories, Loki thus becomes, if not less manipulative and status conscious, then at least more approachable on an individual level. What's interesting to me is how much his personality begins to shift at this point. Several different interpretations start appearing:

1) Stories where Loki is essentially absolved completely for his actions and blame is placed entirely on Thor, Odin, Thor's friends, Heimdall, or even Nick Fury, so that he's portrayed more as an abuse survivor than a powerful actor in his own right.

2) Stories where Loki is portrayed as a very young individual, essentially a teenager making a series of reckless and panicked decisions with a general lack of support from anyone around him. 

3) Stories where Loki simply needs the love of the shipping partner in question to reveal his true self, which is not only far more charming than the character's likely ever been, but he becomes far more self-sacrificing and heroic, developing various friendships and winning over his previous enemies.

4) Stories where Loki still isn't all that endearing a person, but due to his wit, intelligence, and skills he's tolerated by the Avengers/SHIELD and there isn't much fallout for his romantic partner.

5) Stories where Loki is manipulative and suspicious with his romantic partner and remains dangerous to others, but has a serious relationship and certain commitments or agreements with his partner and the Avengers.

6) Stories where Loki is really not to be messed with unless you want to get burned, and burning will likely occur.

7) Stories where Loki is more evil than he was depicted in the films and acts accordingly.

It seems to me that one reason he and Tony tend to work as a pairing is that he generally needs to shed fewer of his canonical characteristics to fit together with Tony, as all the other story types but group 1 tend to seem possible, particularly those in groups 5 and 6. Although I've seen relatively few group 2 type stories, Tony Stark could obviously relate to an inadequately supported teenager with more skills than sense. The third group of stories tend to belong more to the het ships (particularly Darcy/Loki) or particularly soppy and OOC Tony stories. 

The more violent stories tend to get into Clint/Loki territory, but Tony in particular tends to occupy the group 5 sweet spot, where both characters become attracted to one another out of mutual respect and fascination, as well as a dependency to fulfill some part of a mission / strategy / bargain. I've only read 2 Bruce/Loki fics, but both took their mutual meeting point as that of them both being monsters rather than too curious for their own good. Even though you'd think that Bruce could in many ways be a match for Loki as a scientist, that wasn't where these stories went.

By comparison I've only read two Jane/Loki fics, and in each Jane realizes she has more in common with Loki than Thor, exactly because of her inquisitive mind. But unlike Tony, Jane is not only an idealist, but her interests are more narrow than Tony's (and she obviously has none of his resources or his long-time political dealings).

It is exactly because, as some fics have implied, Tony Stark is essentially a prince of Earth that he has so many meeting points with Loki. Statecraft, political maneuvering, entitlement, self-absorption, and a defiance of protocol and expectations are all areas where the two overlap, not to mention similar family issues, betrayals, and rude awakenings that changed the course of their lives. 

One would assume that Natasha would also be a good match for Loki given her understanding of lies and manipulation, her dangerous nature, ugly past, and traumatic upbringing. But too many of those stories write Natasha as anything from a valley girl to a romantic heroine, rather than a very damaged person who would most likely think Loki was an over-privileged whiner.

Tony, however, can't point fingers at Loki's privilege, and he's not above whining himself, despite the fact that he regularly gets away with much more than Loki does and has fewer people who can clearly hold him to account. In short, the two seem as well balanced as two characters can be in this verse when one of them is a very long-lived god.

Of course, one thing I've never understood is how normally built human beings are supposed to have sex with super-powered people (whether Loki or Steve) and not get damaged in the process. But then no one seems to ever consider that Bruce's semen is as radioactive as his blood and so sexytimes would presumably be off the table in his stories. (Another reason why I wondered why Bruce would jump to the 'can't have children' issue in Ultron rather than addressing how he'd likely kill partners in other ways). That's definitely one factor that favors the Loki/Steve dynamic though I can't honestly see the two attracted at all, given that Steve should remind Loki of Thor, and Tony has difficulties with Steve despite being his teammate. 

Obviously everyone's mileage will vary, but I find that having Loki and Tony trying to outmaneuver one another, and feeling exhilarated at the challenge, makes for fun reads -- although I have serious doubts that Loki would feel challenged rather than merely irritated...


End file.
